


Visiting the Watchtower

by Jaybirds_Night



Series: The Harper-Todd Home [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood/Arsenal (Comics)
Genre: Roy can't catch a break
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 06:06:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14847209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaybirds_Night/pseuds/Jaybirds_Night
Summary: Jason is off on a mission, the babysitters are unavailable and Roy has a meeting at the Watchtower. With no one to watch the kids he is forced to bring them with him.





	Visiting the Watchtower

This was officially the worst day of Roy's life. 

Today he had a mandatory meeting at the Watchtower. Jason had left for a mission half way across the world, leaving him to deal with the nine, technically ten terrors if he were to count Rose. Selina, Ivy and Harley weren't available to watch the kids. He remembered Selina saying something about the three of them taking their annual road trip (traveling cross country while stealing cars and shit). He would have asked Rose to play babysitter for the afternoon, but with her short fuse it seemed kind of dangerous. That being said, Croc was already out of the question. If it were just Cass he'd be fine with it, but being in charge of nine kids? He couldn't do that to the poor guy—well, reptilian-hybrid.

Roy stood in front of the children gathered in the living room. They were all staring at him with a mixture of what looked like anxious curiosity. "Okay, just so we're clear, none of you are in trouble." Shoulders sagged in relief. "You all remember that the Justice League wanted to meet with me, right?"

Nine heads bobbed in response.

"Good." Roy took a deep breath as he tried to figure out how to tell them.

"Is the meeting today?" Lian asked.

"Yeah. It starts in about—" Roy snuck a peek over at the clock in the kitchen, "two hours. The only problem is that no one is able to watch you guys."

There was a moment of silence until Tim said, "Does this mean you're taking us with you?" Roy could sense the excitement emanating from them at the prospect of visiting the infamous Watchtower.

"Unfortunately for me, yes, you'll be joining me at the Watchtower." Before they could start celebrating he added, "We still have to go over some rules, though." That earned him a series of groans. He didn't blame them. No one liked rules. "Now don't you start, this is very important. No one except Jason, the Sirens and Croc know about your existence—with the exception of Lian—and your connection to us. The only thing Batman and possibly the rest of the League knows are your codenames. That being said, all of you have to be in uniform when we go." Roy stopped to see if the kids were following along.

"We good so far?" They all gave him a sign to continue. "I know you already know this, but don't call each other by your civilian identities when in costume, please."

"But what if we do it by accident?" Sasha asked.

"Just try not to, okay?" Roy sighed and Sasha sent him a thumbs up. "Any other questions?"

Tim raised his hand. 

"Tim, you don't have to raise your hand. We're not in school."

Tim dropped his hand into his lap. "Can I ask my question now?"

The red-headed archer waved his hand flippantly, signaling him to get on with it. 

"How haven't they figured out we all know each other yet?" Tim asked, the idea seemingly incredulous to him. "We're always patrolling together and we even call each other brother and sister. Not to mention we're all in one city!"

Harper gave an amused snort. "Yeah, Batman clearly isn't as good of a detective as he makes himself out to be," she added. "Poor man can't even put two and two together."

Roy couldn't help laughing. Harper's description of the man was nothing if not spot on.

Damian, having enough of their prattle, spoke up. "Are we allowed to bring weapons? I refuse to be unprepared if something were to happen." Cass nodded along in agreement.

“Uh. I don't—"

"Dad, they could destroy us in an instant! At least give us something to even the odds a bit!" Helena argued.

Roy opened his mouth only to close it again. He didn't know how to respond to that.

"Cool it, demons." Thank god for Rose. "Why the hell do you think they’re going to attack you?"

Damian and Helena didn't respond, unable to think of a good answer.

"Exactly," Rose huffed. "If Roy thought those freaks were a danger to you he'd never bring you anywhere near them." Roy was just about to thank Rose for diffusing the problem when— "But if it makes you feel any better you can each bring one weapon. _One_. I expect you to choose wisely."

Roy groaned, rubbing a hand over his face as they all rejoiced. "Where did we go wrong?" 

* * *

 

 

Stephanie, dressed in her purple cloak and other components of her Spoiler attire, skipped toward Cass's room. The young blonde was ecstatic. Visiting the JLA headquarters, the REAL one, was a once in a life time experience for someone like her. 

When she entered Cass's room her sister was already wearing her black body suit with gold accents along the arms and green tinted goggles—functioning as thermal scanners, as well as night vision—hanging loosely around her neck.

Steph made an impressed sound, "Lookin' good, Echo." Cass's mask was pulled up over the bridge of her nose, yet she could still tell the other was smiling. 

"Is Ghoul suited up?"

Cass nodded and, as if on cue, Damian stalked in, molted grey cape and black domino in all.

Damian scowled when he noticed them staring. "What?"

"You're so adorable!" Steph squealed, throwing herself at Damian who was quick to dodge the hug.

“Get away from me, Stephanie!”

“Never! I must hug you or I'll die!”

“Then die! I will not let you touch me!” He hissed before bolting out of the room.

Stephanie pouted, turning to Cass. “You agree with me, right? About him being so _fudging_ adorable?”

Cass nodded, “very... adorable.”

Harper poked her head in through the doorway, her blue streaked hairdo flopping over to one side of her head. "Ya comin' or what?" She teased and rushed down the hall. The two younger girls giggled as they hurried after her.

 

* * *

 

In the living room, everyone was dawning their signature costumes. Rose in her dark navy blue, almost black, Kevlar body suit with red accents and bandana-like mask. Tim, in his more kid friendly cat suit, high tech ears attached to his hood and amber goggles over his eyes. Lian wore a costume similar to her fathers, but had bits of yellow in places his did not. Sasha was in a purple suit, a scarlet cape dragging behind her slightly and welding goggles covering her eyes. Helena wore a suit similar to Cassandra's but instead of gold accents along the arms and sides she had a dark purple arrowhead on her chest.

Colin, although not being a vigilante like the rest of them, had opted to wearing a tan trench coat and spare black domino.

"Alright, we're all here," Roy grinned. "'Cause I can't go back on what Rose said about bringing weapons, I'm still checking to see what you decided on."

"Lian."

"Bow and arrows!" She beamed, throwing her hands up in the air.

Roy chuckled, shaking his head at his daughters antics. "Sasha." She pulled out what looked like an oversized box cutter from her belt to show him. "The knife Jay gave me."

"Good. Tim?" Tim held up a pair of black sticks, each being about two feet in length, clipping them together. "Bo staff."

"Stephanie." "My nun chuck staff thingy."

"It's called a three-section staff," Rose corrected absently.

Stephanie frowned slightly and mumbled, "I like my name better."

"Damian." 

"Sword, obviously," he said haughtily and Roy rolled his eyes.

"Tone down the attitude, little man. I'm not a mind reader, but" Roy held out his hand, "I can tell when you're hiding stuff so cough 'em up." The shock on Damian's face was quickly replaced with an irritated scowl. Roy then found himself holding 8 throwing knives, 4 ninja stars and another sword, half the size of the one he already had on his back.

Harper raised a brow, "Seriously? You planin' on declaring war or something?"

Damian turned to glare at her, "Shut up!"

Roy sighed for probably the hundredth time that day. "Dami, take a chill pill and have a seat on the couch till we're ready."

Damian muttered incoherently under his breath as he plopped himself down on one of the cushions.

"Okay, who's next... Ah, Harper." "The gun we built last week."

Roy nodded, smiling to himself. He and Harper had spent days designing blueprints on that weapon. It could put any regular semi-automatic to shame.

"Cass." "Knives."

"Helena."

Helena held up her hands to show the modified gauntlets strapped to her forearms. "Crossbows."

There wasn't any point asking Rose what she was bringing since he could see one of her swords sheathed on her back.

Roy took a deep breath, breaking into a crooked grin. "Who's ready to give the Justice League a heart attack?"

 

* * *

The kids and Ravager followed Arsenal through the back alleys toward the zeta beam hidden within a broken phone booth.

"Wow. So original," Spoiler scoffed.

"Yeah, the JLA is really known for their originality and subtlety." The sarcasm in Arsenal's voice made them all snort in amusement. "Timmers, I'm gonna need you to hack the authorization lock on the zeta beam. Think you can do that?"

Stray nodded, pulling up the holographic screen on his wrist and typing in a few commands. His gloved fingers were a blur as they darted across the keypad until suddenly coming to a stop. Tim smiled up at his father, "Done."

"Awesome! See you on the other side." Roy jumped into the phone booth, light swirling around him as he was transported to the viewing deck of the Watchtower.

"Authorization: B25 – Arsenal;" the machine delivered and then continued, "Access granted, authorization: D-01 – Speedy; D-02 – Scarlet; D-03 – Stray; D-04 – Spoiler; D-05 – Echo; D-06 – Ghoul; D-07 – Bluebird; D-08 – Huntress; D-09 – Abuse; D-10 – Ravager.”

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, in the meeting room...

Batman, Wonder Women, Green Arrow and Black Canary were the only ones in attendance for Roy Harper's —Arsenal's— assessment. The other members either being off world or on a mission. Just then the echo of the machines computerized voice announced someone's arrival. They all stood to begin making their way to the deck when Batman held up a hand.

"What is it?" Wonder Women asked, lowering her voice to whisper.

"Roy isn't the only one out there. I heard other names after his, none of which I recognize."

"How did they get in though?" asked Green Arrow.

"Even if they had access to the zeta beam it is nearly impossible to hack."

"Are you trying to tell us you think Roy let them in?" Canary hissed.

Batman gave a small nod, "It's the only explanation."

Before Black Canary could lash out at him Wonder Women broke in, "We shouldn't be jumping to conclusions. Let us see for ourselves what we are dealing with."

It took a moment for them to finally agree and the four heroes headed out to access the danger. However, when they got there they were met with sight of Roy surrounded by a gaggle of costumed children.

 

* * *

 

Roy, nor any of the others with him noticed the four dumbstruck heroes over all the excitement. 

"OH MY GOD! Guys, you have to come see this!" Spoiler called from in front of the viewing windows.

"What is it?" Scarlet asked as she ran over to join her, Speedy and Stray at her heels.

Sasha pressed her face up against the window, fogging up the glass as she stared in awe. " _Whoa_..."

"Is that _Earth_?" Tim's question met deaf ears as the rest of the kids gathered around to see what all the fuss was about.

Lian turned to peer up at her father, head tilted in curiosity. "Daddy, do you think we can see Jay-jay from here?"

Roy chuckled and reached down to ruffle her dark hair, the girl giggling as she tried to swat his hand away. "We're too far away, sweetheart. I know you miss him, but he'll be back soon."

"I bet we can guilt him into buying us all ice cream when he gets back though," Roy quickly added when Lian's lower lip began to tremble. "That sound like a plan, munchkin?"

Lian beamed, the frown vanishing in an instant. "Yes!"

"I believe she just played you." Roy turned to stare at Harper with a look of disbelief.

"W-what?"

"She tricked you, made you feel guilty and give in to whatever she wants. 'See Spoiler do it to Stray all the time."

"Dammit."

A cough sounded from behind the group, causing them to turn around, finally acknowledging the four heroes.   

"Holy shit! It's Wonder Women." Roy didn't know who swore, or did he care. At the moment he was more focused on the four different glares directed at him.

"Who are these children?" Batman's pointed glare made him flinch.

"Uh... my kids?"

Batman tensed while Green Arrow's eyes widened. "Your what?!"

"Uh yeah," Roy laughed nervously. "We kind of _accidentally_ adopted eight other kids after Speedy."

"How can you accidentally adopt _eight_ children?" "Who's we?" "How weren't we aware of this?"

"Hey! One at a time!" Roy shouted. The room immediately quieted down, "Thank you. Now to answer the first question—ask the nine children silently judging you behind me. The 'we' applies to Jason and I—and before you ask, we are together, have been for almost six years now. And lastly, the reason you didn't know is because we kept it a secret. Duh."


End file.
